But was a relatively productive day, I think. Finished one mini cutting and did a few patterns.
I like that last pattern even if it's nothing original — I think there might be a cutting in that. p>And a bit of an optical illusion-type pattern on a table at a place Geeta and I had coffee yesterday:
Anyway, because of weekend marketing with Dad and a lunch date with Geeta, I didn't have a lot of time to do patterns or cuttings. So, there's only one pattern which I'd managed to cut and mount (if we do meet up for dinner again tomorrow, I'll give it to Jen as an early birthday pressie).
I think I did think I'd do like maybe five (A3) cuttings this year for five people. So far, I'd done one each for Jen D.'s and Joey's going-away, one for Rach, and one for Emily. Hopefully I'd be able to do the fifth for Hazel's wedding. Most productive year so far!
I wish I could realize the idea I have for a cutting Hazel as a wedding gift, but I can't draw and can't letter so aaarrrggghhh. (Also, the more I think about it, the more I feel Sonnet 116 might not be quite appropriate for a pin-up themed wedding with polka dots.) Anyway, I need to come up with something else. Soon.
Anyway, I realize my mistake with those three patterns now — I was too focused on making sure the patterns are cut-able when I don't necessarily need/have to cut them at all (although I think I'd love to do a few swirly ones — what I call my 'fern' designs).
I like the 30-Day challenges. They force me to be a little more disciplined and committed but only for a limited period so I don't feel like a complete loser if I wanted to give up after awhile. I started with the planking one and actually didn't managed to complete my 30 days (and my longest duration was just 170 seconds) but I've kept up with the planking more or less — 90 secs on a foam roller (will be switching to an even 100, thanks Monk!), alternating with the leg-lift variation also on the roller.
So, with the conclusion of Words, I'mma start with Patterns. The goal is to post a pattern (however terrible it looks) a day so I get daily practice. As it is, I've been itching to doodle or cut something every day. Day #1 of 30 Days of Patterns kicks off with something I did last night (after Lyra 3, after feeding the kitties when I got home):
(Can't wait to cut this when I get the time!)
I have, like, half a dozen of these mini cuttings now. What on earth am I supposed to do with them? Layering them is actually quite nice, but no more than two layers otherwise it'll be just a mess. Still, layering then what? I suppose they could be made into cards but that's sooooo booooring.
I like the idea of shadow boxes but oh god, such a schlep to IKEA just to buy RIBBA frames ... Or maybe I should visit Daiso for glass frames?
I still haven't picked a read for May! Argh!
Finished Sharp Objects today. It made me think of cutting and cutters. I was never one and, until quite recently, never personally knew any. The closest I got was that period in '08 when I got a body part pierced every three months or so as a way to deal with everything I was feeling. The piercings are all gone (all rejected by my body) but the keloids never will.
Today, full day at work. FUUUUUCK. So I did a few mini cuttings. I rather like the one on the right which is actually just four four-sided shapes. Not exactly a mirror, but still somewhat symmetrical which looks pretty damn awesome! Gonna have to do another similar one! The other two are triangles. I'm thinking of layering with different colors ... might be a nice dizzying effect?
Giving Sharp Objects a second go after finishing Daytripper — which was great but won't count towards that read of the month for May.
Then I gotta figure out how to present it cuz there's no way I'm going to do one of those temporary frames with the patterned tape.
I'm kinda proud of this cutting, really (despite the shitty-looking handwriting)! I think it turned out pretty decent.
Got an idea for a cutting for Hazel's nuptials in June: silhouette of a kissing couple (preferably dancers with beautiful lines) on a calligram of a three-tiered cake, under a canopy of stringed beads or stars. Quote-wise (for the calligram), I'm leaning towards something from Night Circus (again) or maybe Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 (yeah, I know, boooooring). Unfortunately, dreaming up the idea is one thing; execution is whole 'nother ballgame ...
I remember when I was last in a relationship I noticed I hardly dreamed in the night. The scribbles dried up, my precision blade rusted away — I didn't even bring it with me. Yet, I didn't seem to mind that I was barren and didn't create.
Now that I'm alone again — my natural state I'd think — and working with my hands again (albeit less frequently than I'd like) and reading for pleasure more, the sehnsucht is greater than ever.
I wish it were possible to have the best of both situations — perhaps to be constantly inspired by someone I love, but, for now, I'd settle for being more disciplined and devoted to making time for all the things that make me feel fulfilled.
Oh ... forgot about this again last night although I wrote another blog post in the private blog.
I think Emily's cutting is coming along okay, but since I stuck at handwriting, the quote I selected ("your reality is just different from mine" from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) and wrote looks barely legible and quite horrid. Ah well ... hopefully it's the thought that counts.
Man, can't wait for the Thursday public holiday. So. Tired.
Brought 20 Ways to Draw a Tree and 44 Other Nifty Things from Nature, 20 Ways to Draw a Cat and 44 Other Awesome Animals, and Typography Sketchbooks home this weekend. Hopefully, I'd be able to doodle more this weekend. Managed a few bird shapes this morning before having to do other stuff (setting up an investment, lunch, Yin yoga, and shopping for workout clothes and groceries — in that order), and a bit of cutting on the piece for Emily after coming home.
Looking forward to another long weekend ... Please let it come soon.
Tgif, indeed.
I was so crossed today because Spotify told me it was unable to steam tracks due to my network. Fuck the school's network, and fuck CIS and ISS. I'm sure those two departments have their hands in this. The stupid institution wants me to be less productive? They got it.
On a more positive side, I got to know Gemma Correll's works (It's A Punderful Life was one of my selected new arrivals) and fun with her Monday Punday.
Oh weekend! Oh sleep!
Crazy ass day with teaching a two-hour workshop (quite enjoyed that one actually — the kids were lively enough without being obnoxiously rowdy), going through a fire drill (student: "Saving my work is more important than saving my life."), then giving a library tour to new (non-library) staff — back to back, in the span of four hours.
Having a hard time deciding the next book to read. I brought Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects home with me and so far have only read the first couple of pages ... which failed to get my attention. Didn't want to start on Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman because I don't want to get into a certain mood that Murakami's tales always bring — not that it's unpleasant (I like it actually, but only when I'm in the mood for it), I just don't want to feel that way for now.
So. Sleepy. -_-zzz
Book read for the month of April: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared.
So far so good when it comes to my resolution of trying to read at least a (new) book a month — although I did binge on the Thursday Next series earlier in the year. Can't wait to read The Woman Who Died A Lot and can't wait for the next book in the Shades of Gray series to come out!
Note to self: First day of school is a FUCKING MADHOUSE. Tertiary students move so sluggishly and are always fucking distracted, either by their friends, their crushes, their phones, or something — anything.
Finally made it to Yin last night cuz I figured I needed to unwind after a crazy day at work: best choice I made all day ...
Ah ha! Didn't forget the entry before bed tonight!
So, I've been thinking of the new cutting for Emily (I already have one idea; this is an alternative): I'm thinking of doing a cutting of a geometric pattern like one of those I did yesterday (and today too, for that matter; pics to be posted tomorrow) with words. I'll draw directly on an A3 paper tomorrow to see whether it'll be cut-able for me or not ... if I've the time after cooking my week's lunches.
In other news, I've an embarrassing crush on Sue Perkins (embarrassing only because of my low self-esteem). Oh my, she's utterly scrumptious ...
Anyway — doodling. I practised on bird shapes from Naive and a lovely geometric pattern I saw on YouTube. Totally love how easy the geometric shapes ones are (I tried triangles, quadrilaterals, and five-/six-/eight-sided shapes) and how great they look! I'm redoing Emily's papercutting so I might just try a cutting of that pattern.
Yeah, my birds suck. Gonna practise more, try harder.
Boy, I hope I can sleep the hell out of this long weekend ...
Yeah, is come to the point where merely two weeks into this 30 Days of Words I'd already forgotten a daily post like three times (or more). My excuse? The usual one: completely knackered. And the thing is, I'd totally remember the post while I was, say, showering; yet, after stretching, it'd've completely slipped my mind.
Anyway. Yesterday, I got into one of my irrational anger thing at work which brought on the usual impulse to tender my resignation. But I reminded myself that it's only work so fuck it, whatever. It's totally not worth the spike in blood pressure.
Boy, it is time to move on.
Yup. It's the get-me-into-an-accident-so-I-don't-have-to-be-at-work gauge and it still works!
And especially this afternoon, when I was told to compare the stats from Google Analytics and Webtrends, I really really really wished for something to happen to take me away from having to do shit like that.
But how do I walk away with the different projects on my plate?
The small sketchbook I plan to carry around with me — not exactly for doodling, but for jotting down the words from Word Porn that somehow resonate with me.
Ugh. I completely suck at doodling and handwriting, but whatever.
So tired lately. I need to start trying harder at sticking to my resolution about sleeping before midnight. I have 18 days of annual leave I have to clear this year. So tempted to take a few to just sleep.
Anyway. Wish I had done a bit of doodling today ... Sigh.
I've been trying to visualize the cutting. I think it'll prolly be Hazel on the silks in Rebecca splits. And a quote in the negative space below. I miss cutting ... =(
Thought I best have this down before class in case I get too tired and forget the daily entry.
Book read for the month of April: Shades of Gray by Jasper Fforde.
Also, it occurred to me this morning that I'd like to do another silhouette cutting with a quote or something. A professionally shot picture would be good. Might have to trawl Facebook albums of the aerials girls for suitable poses.
So, the Hari and Deepti papercut dioramas are sort of like a collage in a shadow box, right? I'd been thinking of maybe a collage without the shadow box with layers of different textures, but I haven't a clue as to how that project might be like.
The aerial girls are such an inspiration — so talented the lot of them: musically, artistically, culinarily (yes, this is a proper word), and everything else — I can only hope a wee bit of their combined and individual gifts and flair rub off on me.
Bored at work today, so back to thinking/planning/researching résumé design. Which means I've still yet to apply to any job ad.
Thing is, friends and even colleagues have been forwarding job ads to me, like: "You should apply for this!"; or: "I think you'll like this!" There are a couple or so that caught my eyes (to which my education and skills/experience even qualify or fit), but the fact that those jobs are at organizations I don't particularly care for or think of joining is holding me back.
Maybe I should just apply. I mean, chances are I won't even be shortlisted for an interview so why not, right?
Right?
I had such high hopes for this one, but the execution (including the sorta floating mount) didn't turn out as I expected. For one thing, I went with the best possible choice of background paper from what I currently have on hand — which isn't a lot; for another, because I'd chosen my usual textured black, the shadows I'd hoped for can't really be seen. =( Ah well. It was supposed to be a gift for Emily, but I guess it's up to her whether or not she'll want it ...
Now, this — this is fucking gorgeous.
Broke in my new sketchbook! I read that the first (blank) page is the most intimidating and should be just scribbled and doodled the hell out of, just to get it out of the way. So, I've gone and done just that while watching Monk season 1.
Whenever I check my Facebook feed (which unfortunately is more frequently than I ought to), I wonder if I might not be missing out on something by not religiously documenting my everyday life in photos. After all, my memory is both a sponge and sieve; pretty sure I'm retaining daydreams and imaginings as memories while 'true' memories fade more with every passing second. But it's just so hard to remember to pull out my phone to snap pics while wonderful and amazing things are happening ...
So, yesterday: again inspired by Lisa Congdon's illustrations, I thought I should buy a sketchbook (don't know where my old ones are — if they haven't already disintegrated) and learn/start to sketch shit. Like, I've been thinking for my next papercutting project I want to do one of my own scribbles (prolly 'Hope') with something (flourish? shapes?) to hold the letters together.
Get motivated, Self!
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